For as tough as the zone appears to be its also the easiest defense to take down.

As a team, most definitely, especially if you have shooters.

But to stop the superstar, it's incredibly effective...Detroit in 2004, Phoenix in 2006 and 2007, Houston when they had both Battier and Artest, Boston in 2008 and 2010...just a few instances where the zone defense has put Kobe in quicksand. Didn't necessarily stop him, because he's the greatest scorer we've ever seen (sorry, Wilt), but it was scary effective.

And Detroit really didn't need to play a zone, but the way Larry Brown put together his defense, they mixed some zone in with individual man...really hard to explain how that came into play, because it was only crystal clear in certain triangle sets, but it closed off that passing lane between Kobe and Shaq, and forced Gary Payton to become an offensive threat...which he couldn't do, because he was too busy being dominated by Billups.

I think one reason European players are generally good/great shooters is that they go against zone defense from early age, and have to develop that jumper. It could be the same reason why NBA feature more shooters now than 20 years ago. Evolution of the game so to speak.

Zone defense is the second-biggest reason I developed a jumper, lol (the first being the fear of being hit in the eye, after I went blind). Ended up falling in love with it, though, and at one point, I wasn't driving to the rim at all. Now that I'm 29 years old, I'm super glad I can shoot, haha.

I'm still pretty quick with a nice crossover and first step, but from the top of the key to the rim, nowadays, it's easy to stay on my hip and get a nice block attempt. Over the last couple of years, I've had to incorporate a step-back off my drives.

I hope that Nash does relish in that scoring point guard role. Honestly he is probably one of the most dangerous point guards in the game if he's looking to score. Especially if the majority of his looks are wide open. He took westbrook to the basket a few times too and scored on him.

Nash as a scoring pg is probably one of our greatest weapons, it frees up Kobe it frees up Dwight and it's something no scout has been prepared for.

Fan Since:When Magic crossed over the entire Warriors team in like 88. Chis Gatling looked like he was gonna cry.

Fav. Laker:KB

Posted January 30, 2013 - 03:29 PM

Zone defense is the second-biggest reason I developed a jumper,

Getting old sucks.

STFU and start coaching dude. You know and understand the intricacies of the game that probably 99% of people dont. WTF you waiting for. I'd love to watch a game with you dude. You know your stuff. Wisdom comes with age. So use it.

STFU and start coaching dude. You know and understand the intricacies of the game that probably 99% of people dont. WTF you waiting for. I'd love to watch a game with you dude. You know your stuff. Wisdom comes with age. So use it.

Haha, thanks...but there aren't many coaching vacancies around here, and my girl just landed a job to establish her teaching career. As a computer tech and web designer, I can work in any location...so we decided to stick around.

I've coached before, as an assistant (basically coached the entire offense by myself, though, because the HC was a defensive coach), but there were too many issues with the location, timing was bad...long story short, it didn't work out because of who I was with at the time, lol. We did great, though.

Haha, thanks...but there aren't many coaching vacancies around here, and my girl just landed a job to establish her teaching career. As a computer tech and web designer, I can work in any location...so we decided to stick around.

I've coached before, as an assistant (basically coached the entire offense by myself, though, because the HC was a defensive coach), but there were too many issues with the location, timing was bad...long story short, it didn't work out because of who I was with at the time, lol. We did great, though.

Zone defense is the second-biggest reason I developed a jumper, lol (the first being the fear of being hit in the eye, after I went blind). Ended up falling in love with it, though, and at one point, I wasn't driving to the rim at all. Now that I'm 29 years old, I'm super glad I can shoot, haha.

I'm still pretty quick with a nice crossover and first step, but from the top of the key to the rim, nowadays, it's easy to stay on my hip and get a nice block attempt. Over the last couple of years, I've had to incorporate a step-back off my drives.

Getting old sucks.

Since Kobe your fav Laker early in your 20s you didnt mimic your game after his? I was a PG setup team 1st kinda guy in early in my teens until I got to be 20 & realized my real potential from just going hard doing my Kobe thing on court. The whole package you know back when kobe was a machine in his early 20s. Im only 6 foot but I was doing all the dunks and my jumper was wet once I got about 23-24 and was SG first & ended up being forced back PG whenever on a bad team & no1 could create. But my moves on court I do same as Kobe from his spots on the floor cuz I watched so much gametape & then just believed after yrs of improvement. At 28 blew knee out got too heavy now for the above the rim gm; but still pretend im kobe out there with foot work 1-2 dribble pullups off jab step fake, my fav the fadeaway; & of course last point of gm Im taking shot.

but i know exactly what u mean now at 30 that it was gr8 I had made my jumper wet early cuz thats how im still nice now while being too heavy. I know old heads who in their 40s still balling cuz they in shape & main thing there jumper wet from everywhere if they get a lil space SMFH. I always tell them I hope Im able to be on the court at 40 cuz my knees feel like I got hit by a car after im done hooping 3 days a week.

Since Kobe your fav Laker early in your 20s you didnt mimic your game after his?

Michael first, then Kobe a little after HS (2002 and beyond). I obliterated my ankle (might be an accurate description) when I was a junior, and I lost a lot of my leaping ability...at one point, each time I jumped, it felt like I was jumping off of an aluminum can, like the ground was collapsing out from under my left leg. I didn't get to play ball that year, or the next, and my junior year was the season my HS team won the state championship (the only one my school has ever won for basketball).

Early 2008, I went completely blind for two months, and had to have both eyes cut open and my retinas surgically fixed (laying them flat, scraping scar tissue, etc). One eye I regained vision in, the other is still completely shot...and because of that, I took an entire year working on my jumper, all over again, learning how to shoot a ball with one eye. I have to move my left hand away from the center of my face, and slightly turn my body, when I let off jumpers, just so I can see the rim and follow through. The experience, as a whole (not just basketball-wise), which includes learning how to drive with one eye in the dark, is the toughest thing I've ever had to go through.

I'm basically a scoring PG, though. I can spot up, and come off of screens very well, but I don't like relying on others for my shots. I can run an offense the way it's supposed to be ran if I have the ball.

no i meant like what school...hs, college...?

Haha, definitely not college. I've helped out, so I'd LIKE to call it being an assistant at a college level (JUCO), but no. High school basketball, but again, as fun as it was, I'd rather erase the entire experience (the two years, not just coaching) from my life, if I could.

I'll bow out...gotta get back on topic. I'm sure I'll run into an opportunity to talk about things like this later on, in an off-topic thread or something. Not necessarily my ex-girlfriend or anything related to her or that "journey" (HA), but the way I play, what I'd like to do today when it comes to basketball, whatever...but just for another day.

But to stop the superstar, it's incredibly effective...Detroit in 2004, Phoenix in 2006 and 2007, Houston when they had both Battier and Artest, Boston in 2008 and 2010...just a few instances where the zone defense has put Kobe in quicksand. Didn't necessarily stop him, because he's the greatest scorer we've ever seen (sorry, Wilt), but it was scary effective.

And Detroit really didn't need to play a zone, but the way Larry Brown put together his defense, they mixed some zone in with individual man...really hard to explain how that came into play, because it was only crystal clear in certain triangle sets, but it closed off that passing lane between Kobe and Shaq, and forced Gary Payton to become an offensive threat...which he couldn't do, because he was too busy being dominated by Billups.

The fact that Malone was replaced by Medvedenko helped because Rasheed didn't really have to guard anyone. If there was any defender to put on a scorer with a zone defense, a long and athletic wing is perfect to try to bother his shots and Tayshaun was effective.

The fact that Malone was replaced by Medvedenko helped because Rasheed didn't really have to guard anyone. If there was any defender to put on a scorer with a zone defense, a long and athletic wing is perfect to try to bother his shots and Tayshaun was effective.

Well, personally, I think the Lakers would have found themselves in a seven-game series against Detroit if Karl Malone was healthy.

But yeah, the "long, athletic wing" defensive players are key to slowing down a superstar, unless that particular superstar doesn't have much weight on him (ex. Durant, when Ron Artest was pushing him around). That's why Durant defends Kobe well...in spurts, of course, and that wouldn't be the case for an entire game because Durant isn't that great of a defensive player to take on a challenge like that (without seeing his offense suffer greatly), but it still applies with him as it does with a Prince or a Kirilenko.

Michael first, then Kobe a little after HS (2002 and beyond). I obliterated my ankle (might be an accurate description) when I was a junior, and I lost a lot of my leaping ability...at one point, each time I jumped, it felt like I was jumping off of an aluminum can, like the ground was collapsing out from under my left leg. I didn't get to play ball that year, or the next, and my junior year was the season my HS team won the state championship (the only one my school has ever won for basketball).

Early 2008, I went completely blind for two months, and had to have both eyes cut open and my retinas surgically fixed (laying them flat, scraping scar tissue, etc). One eye I regained vision in, the other is still completely shot...and because of that, I took an entire year working on my jumper, all over again, learning how to shoot a ball with one eye. I have to move my left hand away from the center of my face, and slightly turn my body, when I let off jumpers, just so I can see the rim and follow through. The experience, as a whole (not just basketball-wise), which includes learning how to drive with one eye in the dark, is the toughest thing I've ever had to go through.

I'm basically a scoring PG, though. I can spot up, and come off of screens very well, but I don't like relying on others for my shots. I can run an offense the way it's supposed to be ran if I have the ball.

Haha, definitely not college. I've helped out, so I'd LIKE to call it being an assistant at a college level (JUCO), but no. High school basketball, but again, as fun as it was, I'd rather erase the entire experience (the two years, not just coaching) from my life, if I could.

Wow thats amazing you still got the love to still be out there balling. There was this kid in highschool who was blind in 1 eye but was 6'5 & still had skills. never heard any1 else before. but yeah back on topic

Funny thing about this offense, it doesn't work when players turn into statues off the ball and the big man won't roll properly. It gets a bit difficult at that point.

Did you like how, during the timeout, the camera was directly in front of Kobe and Gasol having a conversation...clearly about how to move out from a screen and go to the rim...and then, immediately out of the timeout, Gasol sets a screen for Kobe, and then takes a couple of steps off to the side and decides to post up too far away from the low block, instead of going to the rim.

Did you like how, during the timeout, the camera was directly in front of Kobe and Gasol having a conversation...clearly about how to move out from a screen and go to the rim...and then, immediately out of the timeout, Gasol sets a screen for Kobe, and then takes a couple of steps off to the side and decides to post up too far away from the low block, instead of going to the rim.